Read about a few key moments since Claire and Jim took over the pub in 2007…

  • Took over in January – very little existing trade with chequered history of fleeting past owners.
  • James Nixon joined us as head chef on 1st July.
  • Refurbished the one existing B&B room and created two other ensuite letting rooms. Achieved 4 star rating from Visit Britain.
  • Held first Summer party for the village at the end of July with a ‘Hawaiian Tropic’ fancy dress theme.
  • Started a monthly pub quiz, still running.
  • Became a ‘family business’ with the birth of George Alfred on 18th December (born a week early on the busiest week of the year).
  • Summer party in July – the theme was ‘The Wild West’.
  • Refurbished the bar including the old flagstones and undertook some sandblasting to restore more of the original features.
  • Created The Ebrington Arms Football Tournament in September to raise funds for the local Recreation ground – pub teams from across the North Cotswolds fight it out for ‘The Yubberton Cup’. Veteran match also.
  • Pub included in The Good Beer Guide & The Good Food Guide, rumored to be for the first time in the pub’s history.
  • Halloween party – lots of fancy dress fun.
  • The pub held a beer tent at the Village fete for the first time, hailed a big success, raising around £300 for the village charities – now annual charity raiser.
  • Folk music night started at the pub – still runs on the first Monday of the month.
  • Won CAMRA North Cotswold Pub of the Year – another first for the pub, beating stiff competition from around 90 other pubs in the area to win the coveted title.
  • Recommended in Michelin Guide for food – an independently reviewed guide for foodies, another first for the pub.
  • Summer party in July – the theme was Pirates of the Caribbean.
  • Started monthly food speciality evenings. A chance for our chefs to show off some of their skills and focus on flavours from particular country or regions.
  • The Ebrington Arms Football Tournament II.
  • Included in The Good Beer Guide & The Good Food Guide again.
  • AA rosette awarded for food for first time in pub’s history.
  • Added to the 2010 Michelin Guide, ‘Eating Out in Pubs’.
  • Pub’s first ever Arm-wrestling competition (May). Hosted by UK champion, Julian Cini.
  • Cheese & wine party in April.
  • Won CAMRA North Cotswold Pub of the Year – rumored to be in top 5 finalists within whole of the South-West region.
  • Recommended in Michelin Guide for food.
  • Ebrington Arms Football Tournament in September.
  • Inclusions in The Good Beer Guide, The Good Food Guide and AA rosette scheme re-awarded.
  • Recommended in Michelin Guide for food.
  • Won CAMRA North Cotswold Pub of the Year for the third time, said by CAMRA to be ‘highly unusual’ for a pub to consistently beat off its opponents for three years on the trot. Again told that we are a strong contender to win the title for the whole of the South-West region.
  • Major building work and renovations started in March following the granting of planning permission – built new cold store, office and kitchen and extended the dining room into the old kitchen and owners accommodation areas. This is a big change for the pub and its village so we are celebrating with a big launch party on September 1st – all locals invited. The facility will allow us to cater for bigger parties and take more bookings. We hope the extra tables will avoid us turning so many customers away (as we still have the majority of first come first served tables in the bar as retaining our pub atmosphere remains a priority).
  • The Ebrington Arms Football Tournament is back in September with the addition this year of the local PTFA’s involvement to replace the veteran match. The vets claim they’re past it so we’re having a mini junior tournament instead and refreshments available and fun for children.
  • Given the ongoing recession doom and gloom we decided to revive the pub Thrift Club this Spring to help people save towards Christmas. It used to be a strong club at the pub many years ago.
  • Big year for romance in the pub – at least three proposals and two weddings took place here. Couples staying for the weekend were always coming downstairs in the morning telling us their exciting news – bound to be more weddings at the pub. Our second couple to get married at the pub decided they loved Ebrington so much they have since moved here and are now a happy addition to our village community.
  • Included in The Good Food Guide, Michelin Guide, Good Beer Guide and awarded an AA rosette awarded again.
  • Family business expanding in other areas with baby number two due on November 27th.
  • Runner up in CAMRA North Cotswold Pub of the Year 2012.
  • Changed the old pub accommodation into a further two ensuite letting rooms – bringing the total to 5 now available.

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